State govt tells civic body to curb illegal construction

Illegal buildings have become a major cause of concern for officials of the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG). Dhananjay Jha reports.

Illegal buildings have become a major cause of concern for officials of the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG).

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The issue was the main topic of discussion during a high-level meeting between MCG officials and the financial commissioner-cum-principal secretary to the urban local bodies’ government, Haryana, on Wednesday.

The financial commissioner is learnt to have expressed serious concern over illegal constructions coming up due to the alleged lackadaisical attitude of officials.

“No doubt the number of illegal constructions is going on unchecked, but I have directed Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon commissioner Sudhir Rajpal to check such buildings and take appropriate action. I have sought a detailed report on illegal constructions,” said financial commissioner Ram Niwas.

Niwas also directed the MCG commissioner to disconnect water, sewer and electricity connections to all illegal buildings.

The civic body has in the past one year identified nearly 500 buildings that have been constructed in violation of rules and regulations. The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon officials apprised the financial commissioner that the process of imposing penalty or initiating action against offenders was not a simple one.

Niwas was also informed that the corporation had issued demolition notices to as many as 250 property owners (house) who had constructed buildings without proper sanction from the civic body.

Under the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act-1994, Sections 250 and 261 lay out the penalty structure in this regard.

Under Section 250, the MCG can impose a fine of Rs 5,000 (one time) and R500 per day (from the day of commencement of construction) on property owners for constructing illegal structures. “We can issue notices of demolition under Section 261. The demolition has to be carried out by the owner and in case he fails to do so, the corporation can impose a penalty of Rs 2,000 (one time) and Rs 200 per day (since date of issuance),” said a senior MCG official. “The penalty has to be decided by the court,” he added.

At present, 65 cases are pending in the local court.

The financial commissioner has directed the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon commissioner to request the court to dispose of these cases at the earliest.